Why donating to worthy causes is good for the soul

Some time ago Mukti discovered a wonderful group with her namesake: http://mukti.org.au

They specialise in helping children especially girls in India. The unfortunate truth in places like India and China is that girls are often treated with disdain and indifference.

This is a sign that misogyny is alive and well in many countries in the world. This barbaric practice should be publicised and criticised as much as possible.

“I just feel like we’re living in a first world affluent country, we’re very privileged, very fortunate, very lucky and it’s great to be able to give to those less fortunate who don’t have the same choices as us. Even if you’re struggling here you still have a government who looks after you.

Over there women are denigrated because they’re women or because they’ve given birth to girls. This organisation, Mukti, assists women and children who are in very difficult circumstances. Otherwise they would be thrown on the funeral pyre. They‘re abandoned and abused, destitute women, elderly, physically challenged, or in schools for the blind.”

Mukti  – founder of Mukti Organic Skincare

Why donate?

For Mukti this process is more than just making up for the usual white guilt. It’s a chance to feel like she’s making a difference to people in another world. And anonymous service is somehow liberating as well. Not being the one handing over the aid or food (respect to the people that actually do that stuff though) gives her the sense of contributing to other people less fortunate.

In this video Jessica Jackley speaks on Ted.com about how we can engage with poverty and make a real difference. 

Why Girls and Women?

It is a well know fact that the cure for poverty is the empowerment of women. Not to say that men are not important but being the child bearers and the group most often discriminated against (especially in third world countries) means that this is where the social aid is most needed.

When women are given basic human rights, protection from harm, an education and the ability to control their reproductive cycle the whole ground of a culture can flower and begin to stabilise.

Who does Mukti Organics sponsor?

Sponsored through the Mukti organisation:

• A Tibetan child
• An Indian child
• An African child

and another child through Care Australia.

Mukti (Organics) also supports a Buddhist retreat center called Chenrezig on the Sunshine Coast by donating  to the Sangha. They conduct retreats and give free talks on anger and a variety of issues relevant to modern life.

What can you do?

If you don’t have the money to donate regularly to worthy causes then use social media or word of mouth to share the importance of these causes. It’s easy in modern society to get caught up in our daily lives and forget that some people don’t even have mobile phones!

In short it’s good for us to extend our mind and our influence even just a little bit to people with less opportunity than ourselves.

“If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.”

The Dalai Lama

We publish this not to impress you but rather to impress upon you the importance of connecting to people outside your social sphere. It helps us to develop compassion for other people less fortunate.

What causes do you stand for and/or contribute to? Let us know in the comments below.